Recent events have prompted Chinese to re-examine the artwork shown above – not for its rather tasteful depiction of naked young girls, but instead for its hidden allegorical subtext, showing as it does with some clarity the power struggle over the future of Taiwan and the wider East Asian region.

The work, by Toronto-based Chinese artist Liu Yi, generally goes by its English title of “The 2008 Beijing Mahjong Game.”

First exhibited in 2005 in anticipation of the 2008 Olympics, the piece has over the years been subject to a wide variety of searching interpretations – the latest coming from Chinese left pondering it in light of recent developments.

Firstly, the girl wearing a traditional article of Chinese lingerie with her hand in a fruit bowl represents Taiwan.

The four mahjong players also represent countries – America faces the viewer, and opposite her is China. To the right, the reclining girl is Russia, and to the left, naked and scrutinising her tiles, is Japan.

The image depicts the situation facing Taiwan, but Taiwan herself is not at the table. Only the four players of America, China, Japan and Russia will determine the outcome of this game. The skies beyond the window are dark and unsettled, as is the current situation.

The clothing the four girls at the table are wearing expresses their respective strengths. America is in a strong position, and confidently watches Taiwan for a chance to strike without being overly concerned about the state of the game.

Russia lies languidly with one leg resting on America, and an arm outstretched to China, stealthily assisting China with her concealed tiles. But Russia has no interest in Taiwan, and her tiles are not strong. She is only interested in exploiting the Taiwan situation to her advantage, sympathising with America whilst selling weapons to China.

China herself is half-naked, much of her body obscured from view by the table, preventing anyone from seeing how strong she is. One of her tiles is “East,” representing the DF-31 “East Wind” long range missile (ICBM). China also keeps some of her tiles hidden behind her, ready for any change in the game. Just how strong she really is, who can say.

On the left, the naked girl is Japan. She has no clothes at all – she is the weakest of the four. She scrutinizes her tiles intently, completely oblivious to the artful tricks the other players are employing. Japan only conceives of the Taiwan issue in terms of how she can gain regional power – she is blind to the global aspect of the game. Whilst she may have a good hand, little does she realize the game will not be won through tiles alone.

On China’s shoulder is a tattoo – the Fenghuang, or “Chinese phoenix.” This signifies the fact that in China traditional culture runs only skin deep – she is otherwise just the same as the west. On the contrary, it is Taiwan, with her traditional attire, who is the real heir to Chinese culture.

Taiwan holds a fruit knife, but it is of no use in a game of mahjong and she cannot bring it to bear. All she can do is hold onto her fruit as the game plays out.

Let it not be said that looking at pictures of naked girls cannot be educational.

If they are playing strip mahjong it seems that America is definitely leading.
Of course Russia is playing both sides as she does have her foot on America’s thigh.. a bit too close to just be innocent.

“on the left, the naked girl is Japan. She has no clothes at all – she is the weakest of the four. She scrutinizes her tiles intently, completely oblivious to the artful tricks the other players are employing.”

” On China’s shoulder is a tattoo – the Fenghuang, or “Chinese phoenix.” This signifies the fact that in China traditional culture runs only skin deep – she is otherwise just the same as the west. On the contrary, it is Taiwan, with her traditional attire, who is the real heir to Chinese culture. ”

Regardless of which one is the “real heir”, this is a rather flimsy and subjective way to look at it. Even more so than usual art interpretation, I mean.

There’s no way you’re telling me that a skin-deep but permanently etched-on tattoo is LESS than a shirt you just take off.

If it means national weakness, sucking US and Japan’s dick and political imcompetency is “true chinese culture”, then I would rather have my “fake” Communist Chinese Culture, that has nukes, strong military, economical superpower and global influence to fend off the US.

Taiwan IS NEVER a “true heir of Chinese culture”: They are colonized by Japan, soaked up Christianity, adopted weaboo-fail-culture and behaving like raving faggots, shitting on their “Chinese heritage” everyday. How is that “Chinese”, wanting to become a part of Japan, her murderer and invader?

Sorry, but this is all just weaboo delusions: Taiwan is everything the western world and japan wants China to be: Weak, obedient, overreliant on them, and just shutting the fuck up and produce cheaply for her western and japanese masters, without ever making a ruckus or even claiming their part of the profit. Just a cute little dog, called “China” that is allowed to live by the mercy of the established great powers, without any aspirations for itself.

What Japan and the West doesent want to see is a China that is strong, independent, powerful and assertive. A China, that is TRUE to her history and culture of being an vibrant empire made of powerful warriors, cunning merchants, adept artisans and glorious emperors, claiming their rightful place in the sun, and telling the West and Japan to shut the fuck up and to never intefere in their business, as they did when China was weak.

That’s why, Communist China is the BEST CHINA.

Communist China is the China that will become a dominant Superpower.

Communist China is the China that will fly to space and claim the stars.

Communist China is the China that will do away all their foreign tormentors and avenge the souls of every Chinese who have been enslaved by them.

Communist China is the China that will achieve the Glory that will be remembered for the next ten-thousand years to come.

Of course the West, and especially Japan, the nation that once declared the Chinese being subhumans and attempted to subdue them, doesent like this prospect.
That’s why they will continue to ‘support’ Taiwan as the “rightful heir” of Chinese civilization, because a weak China will always suits their needs.

That painting is at least a thousand times better than anything ever done by any Japanese artist that I know about (I’ve only seen those paintings of waves and the lady fucking an octopus and whatnot, all them kid’s doodles compared to this).

I noticed that the background landscape behind America is a painting hung on a brick wall. It depicts reality but is not real…..America has her back to a stone wall. (Taiwan became a problem for the USA because Mainland China has made it one. I think Nixon messed up.)

Look at America’s and Taiwan exchange of glances. Looks more like a big sister playing for a little one, then predatory. Especially now in 2010 when there’s an American consumer backlasstarting. h towards Mainland Chinese products building up.

What’s with Genghis? Is that even Genghis or some unknown player at the side lines? The USA military is bogged down in the Middle East.

Russia has to appease China because they share a huge boarder. That’s also a reason that Russia wouldn’t like China to become more powerful.

“On the contrary, it is Taiwan, with her traditional attire, who is the real heir to Chinese culture.”

This particular analysis by its Japanese author is rather interesting, because it shows the Japanese people aren’t really against things that are Chinese, they’re just against everything that is the People’s Republic of China, which they see as an usurper and corrupter of Chinese culture, which is supposed to be far nobler that what the PRC is.

OTOH, they see Taiwan (as the Republic of China), and to an extent, Hong Kong, as the true heirs of Chinese culture. Hence the Japanese people’s unreserved friendliness towards tourists from these two places, in contrast to the disdain they show to the arrogant noveau-rich tourists from the PRC.

Don’t know about other countries, but it’s strange to see Russia even near this table, it’s wrong somehow. Sorry, but here, in Russia, no one even gives a duck about Taiwan. It’s out of our current diplomacy interests field (MUCH more interesting to see something like this about Israel&Co, the story where Russia is a truly cheating bitch). Also, weapon trading with China is too complicated question. They buy some examples and then just copy them. Looks more like “techology” trading for the cheating “weapon” price. Nice picture anyway.

I agree with everything except the inclusion of Japan. With no military strength Japan is militaristically just an annexation of america, while economically Japan is undoubtedly a powerhouse, when it comes down to force though they’re not even on the map. With China’s ever increasing confidence a US defence contract to expire in 2012 (that will probably be renewed) and global instability as a whole they had better beef up their defences or before they know it china’ll lay claim to the whole country. Some might argue that the US would save them, I’m not saying they’d stand back and do nothing but they’d be looking at it strategically not in the view of saving lives.

The US will not allow anything to happen that will portray them as weak. If China starts to make a move, you bet the US will be right there, countering. And if that means the release of a couple tactical nukes, to guarantee the sovereignty of a nation, and America’s own image, do not doubt the President will make that call.

Of course what the US should do is trade Taiwan to China in exchange for all those US Treasury bonds that China owns. Or rather, the US takes the bonds and sails away from Taiwan, leaving it to whatever China wishes to do.

Yes, this would be a low-down, dirty, treacherous thing to do. So what?

The thing with interpretations is you can make anything seem to make sense if you tried hard enough, and more importantly, it’s what people want to hear

Allow me to describe east asian politics by using The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya instead…

Haruhi is China – she’s nucking futs, you have no idea what she’ll do. The rest of the SOS members have to be careful with her, cuz she’s like a bomb that can blow up any minute

Kyon is Sankaku, 2ch, and the Internet weaboo population. They make all the smartass remarks and complain about China/Haruhi. But just like Kyon’s remarks, the Internet doesn’t stop Haruhi. In fact, Haruhi/China’s been known to just not listen (Great Firewall of China)

you have to say it to the author~ I’m not the one who drew it~ but I’m pretty sure what he will say will be “what do you see?” “it’s that then” ~~
the goal of an artist~ is to make an artwork that has many possiblity~~~ which means~ different people~ will see it in different angle~ by the way
~ the same applies for photography ~ well, I don’t know about ceramic and others~~~ I only know that photography and painting are aiming for that~
the concept is way more important nowaday (art contemporain)~~the quality ~ is secondary~ well that’s what I have learned~in school

well, you can say it like that~ if you want~
but there are some important factors you have to consider
in interpretation~ such as ~ “signifiant” and “signifier”
sorry~ it’s french~ because I went to a french school (Fine Arts)
signifiant=meaning and signifier=mean ~~~
it has different meaning for different culture
for example: red(signifiant) for westerner mean blood/death/danger, etc(signifier)
but from the viewpoint of eastern people~~ red means celebration/marriage/wishful,etc(signifier)
for eastern people~ the “no colour” black and white(signifiant) mean death/negative matter (signifier)
what I want to say ~ is ~ that the proper way of interpretation can’t be done like that

well, you can say it like that~ if you want~
but there are some important factors you have to consider
in interpretation~ such as ~ “signifiant” and “signifier”
sorry~ it’s french~ because I went to a french school (Fine Arts)
signifiant=meaning and signifier=mean ~~~
it has different meaning for different culture
for example: red(signifiant) for westerner mean blood/death/danger, etc(signifier)
but from the viewpoint of eastern people~~ red means celebration/marriage/wishful,etc(signifier)
for eastern people~ the “no colour” black and white(signifiant) mean death/negative matter (signifier)
what I want to say ~ is ~ that the proper way of interpretation can’t be done like that
it’s way more complicated

Pfft, China just wants to show that they’re the strongest in the picture. They say Japan is weakest because they don’t wear anything? How do you know when it’s only the upper half of body shown? So many things can be hidden below the table. And the expression, who to say it’s not Japan’s poker face? She’s blind to the global aspect? But she’s not deaf, knowledge isn’t gained from what you see only. There are still many other things you can interpret from the picture if you want.

Then again, i’d rather see it as a pic of a bunch of naked girls. *fapfapfapfap*

your observation is not half bad~
I have something to add ~
there’s a canvas behind the “America” and “Japan”
and it’s obviously a portrayal of a “chinese”
that means ~ “Chinese” has back up (spies) in other word, he’s cheating, as we all know spies are everywhere ~of course, America , Japan, Russia, etc have spies too~ but I guess the reason why the author adds the portrayal of a “chinese” there is to give us the hint that he got more thrump cards than any other players~~~ I’m not ending here~~~ if you go deeper into the analysis, you can see that the house is open (check the right) it’s near to the river, it seems to me an eastern river~~~ that means ~ Russia and America are guests, it’s the home of Taiwan, Japan and China~~adding the fact that they’re playing Mahjong which is the game created by “chinese”~ China is surely the host here, if you consider the casino way’s of thinking ~~~ “host always win”~~that mean China is winning~~ that also mean ~ China wouldn’t bother to finish Japan and Taiwan first~~ because they’re in the same “Home” they’re close to each other~ so China is aiming for Russia first (she’s closer to the river in the picture)
as for the colour analysis, the author doesn’t seem to put much meaning in it ~ all I can say is that ~ there are a lot of primary colour (red, blue, yellow) + “no colour” (white and black)~~ The way I would interpret it ~~~ will be~~~~ pure simplicity (primary colour)are disturbed by the environnement (white and black) ~the author seems to have the same viewpoint with Skinner ~I mean the philosophy similar to Skinner (there’s no freedom, the environnement make us a puppet)~~ so you can say that they don’t have any choice~ the “fight” is unavoidable~~ and it’s no one’s fault ~

The Chinese artist Liu Yi is really talented. First for his painting of this picture. Second the meaning in the figures and images used. Alot of thought and planning was put into this creation. I wonder what he really thinks of the situation of the 5 countries involved. I wonder who the man in the picture on the wall is?
Well great find Artefact!!!

I would think this rather means that there is a rich historical precedent of Chinese imperialism and regional domination, and that shadow looms over this game, pushing China toward a new regional domination, so that it can please its ancestors and reconcile itself with its own domineering history.

The portrait means China is playing to win by any means necessary. That is what looms over the game. The other players need to learn their Chinese history or they are doomed.

Quality vs Quantity = Quality Wins…? Well, whatever, Japan is loosing in both quality and quantity anyway. I haven’t talked about how Japan relies on USA only. Japan doesn’t even have nuclear weapon. Nah, don’t even talk about nuclear weapon; Japanese government doesn’t even have the ball the fight China in Senkaku matters. Scream all you want, the fact is too clear to the world: Japan with no USA support is….well nothing. Sad but it is true. Good thing their anime and manga is free though…

Genghis Khan was just a really pro leader. And during that time China was fighting a internal conflict. Its like having japan attack America during the civil war. The thing is Genghis Khan had the numbers to win, japan right now doesn’t.

Well since she probably has a pon of the east winds, they would be pointing at one of the player she took it form. if she took it form america, the middle tile would be in side ways,but it is not. so it indicates that it can be pointed AT the US or to everyone for there is no indication of who. Or they’re playing something other than japanese mahjong….

lol you wouldn’t expect the america, russia, japan to cheat when they have the chance?
In war, the cheaters wins(well have higher chance), cause war is all about winning, sure there is different ways to win a war, but winning is highest priority.

Let me analize it: The girl on the right, positioned in doggy-style, is China. The girl on the left, inserting a huge strapon dildo in the right’s girl ass is Japan. And that silhoutte of Pedobear reflected in the window represents the whole world (except for china) fapping on chinese misery.

So either, you’re saying everyone should gang up against china for playing dirty, or you might have gotten the countries wrong, because china does not have any tricks up their sleeve. USA seems to have sleeves tho’, perhaps there’s something hidden!? :O